Piano-player.



un. 695,862. Patented Mar. la, |902.

J. cnunvlLLE.

PIANU PLAYER.

(Application #led my 13, 1901.) (llo Model.)

,In IHN f UH *T1 ma bums dus cafmomumo., msmmmw, D. c.

NTTED STnTEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH OOURVILLIC, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO FARRAND d: VOTEY ORGAN COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PIANO-PLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of .Letters Patent No. 695,862, dated March 18, 1902.

Application iiled May 13, 1901. Serial No. 60,055. (No model.)V

T0 @ZZ wwnt t Imty concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Conni/"ILLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Players, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in piano-players; and it coiisists,tiist,in the construction ot the device for vertically adjusting the operating-levers in relation to the keys of the piano upon which the device is to be used; second, in the construction of the case combined with such adjusting devices, and, further, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is avertical centra-l section through a piano-player, showing the top of the case open and the playing-fingers turned up. 2 is a section at right angles to Fig. l. Fig. is a section similar to Fig. l, illustrating only the upper part of the case and showing the playingiingers turned out as in playing position.

A is the base, having the end standards I3, which form vertical guides for the case O outside of those standards and guided vertically thereon. To the case and preferably slightly above the middle is secured the action D. This action is of any desired construction comprising the necessary pneuinatics for operating the playing-fingers, and as its detail construction has nothing to do with my present invention I will not illustrate it other than in diagram, as shown. To this action and secured to the lower part thereof are suitable bellows E, preferably as shown in such constructions, there beinga pair of these bellows, one adapted to be operated by each pedal IF in the well-known manner. The

pedals I? are pivoted to the base A and have pivoted to the inner end the rod G, to which is connected a flexible strap I'I, which strap in turn is connected to a segment I, pivoted to a cross-bar .I, which is secured to the depending bars I", which support the bellows, and at their upper ends are secured to the machine.

case and are vertically movable therewith. The strap II after being connected to the segment I has the connecting portion L, which is connected to the movable part oi the bellows. The strap II is adjustable in length by any suitable means. I have shown the strap as looped about a link M, which engages with the rod G and is secured bya fastening device-such, for instance, as the safetypin N. By simply lengthening or shortening the loop ot the strap II it is evident that the length of that strap may be adjusted.

O is a cross-bar connecting the standards E, and on this cross-bar is secured the nut P, through which the adjusting-rod Q extends, having a screw-threaded adjustment with the nut and passing through an aperture in the bar O. This adjusting-rod Q passes through apertures in the cross-bar P, secured to the case, and through a cross-barR, also secured to the case near the upper part thereof, being provided with collars d above and below the cross-bar It. This adjusting-rod Q, eX- tends above the cross-oar R into the upper part of the case, where it is provided with an actuating means, such as the hand-wheel S. It will be understood, ot course, that there is a similar adjusting-bar at each end of the Itis also obvious that by turning the hand-wheel S the case,with the action,will be raised or lowered upon the base, so that the necessary vertical adjustment for difterent heights of pianos can be obtained. The angle at which the pedals extend in relation to the bellows can always be adjusted properly by adjusting the length of the strap I-I, as with this construction the bellows moves up and down with the action.

In order to get at the hand-wheels S, which are inside the case, I make the upper part of the casein the shape of a cover T, preferably hinged at T', so that it may be turned back, as shown in Fig. l. This opening of the case at the top is only necessary to adjust the action in relation to the piano upon which it is to be used, and after it is once adjusted ordinarily the cover or top T may be left closed, being locked down by means oi the hooks T2 at each end of the machine.

IOO

In the type of machine which is shown herein the case is providcd at opposite ends with brackets U, to which is hinged a fulcrum-bar U', upon the under side of which are pivoted the playing-fingers V. This fulcrum-bar at its ends has the brackets W pivoted to the brackets U, so that when the device is not in use the fulcrum-bar, with the playin gfingers,may be turned inside the case, as shown in Fig. l, the case being provided with the doors X and X to permit of thus turning in or out the playing-fingers. In this type of machine heretofore when the playingfingers were turned outside the machine in their playing position the fnlcrum-bar and the fingers themselves, which are ordinarily made of light-colored wood, would be exposed and would give an unfinished and crude appearance to the Whole machine. This is particularlyso, as these machines are nearly always made of or finished like dark-colored woods, such as mahogany or ebony. With the case in which the door X is used it closes the case downalmost to the upper edge of the fulcrumbar, and in order to give the device a complete appearance I apply to the fulcrnm-bar a cap Z, which covers the fnlcruln-bar and extends out over the playing-lingers, with the fiange Z' either covering them entirely or nearly and being finished the same as the rest of the case. When the playing-fingers are extended out in position for operation, the device has a finished appearance Without the necessity of building ont any extension of the caser itself. Thus I am enabled to use a machine in which the playing-fingers move in and out of the machine, and yet both the operative and inoperative positions of the machine have a finished appearance. This is quite necessary, as these machines are nearly always used in parlors or in public halls, where the crude appearance of the unfinished fulcrum-bar and fingers Will be a decided detriment to the looks of the machine.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination ofabase,acase mounted thereon on vertical guides, an adjusting device for raising and lowering the case on the base located within the case and extending up near the top and a movable top for the case adapted when open to expose the adjusting devices, and when closed to inclose the same.

2. The combination of a base,a case mounted thereon on vertical guides, screw-shafts journaled in the bearing inside the case and having a screw-threaded engagement with the base, hand wheels or levers at the top of the shafts, and a movable cover for the case inclosing said adj usting-wheels in its closed position but exposing them in its open position.

3.' The combination of a case, an action inclosed within the case, playing-fingers, a fulcrum-bar to which the playing-fingers are pivoted, movable to carry the fingers within or Without the case, and a finished cap for the projecting portion secured to and removable with the fulcrum-bar.

4. The combination of a case, an action inclosed Within the case, playing-fingers, afulcrum-bar to which the playin g-ngers are pivoted, movable to carry the fingers within or Without the case, a cover for the aperture through which the fingers move in and out, and a finished cap movable With the fulcrurnbar covering the fulcrum-bar and fingers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH ooURvILLE.

Witnesses:

L. J. WHITTEMORE, I-I. C. SMITH. 

